Team Lead, Corporate Events (12 Month FTC)

 

Building a Brand Starts with a Story

FIRST is a leading global brand experience agency serving clients in various industries, including financial services, technology, new & traditional media, aerospace, healthcare, and professional services. FIRST has received numerous accolades, including being listed among the 2025 Most Innovative Marketing Agencies of the Year by Chief Marketer, named Top Agency of the Year 2024 by Event Marketer, highlighted as a Global Agency of the Year, over 100 Employees by C&IT, and listed among the "200 Top Marketing Agencies" in 2024, 2023, & 2022 by Chief Marketer.

Learn more at www.firstagency.com

What You Would Get To Do

This role is primarily responsible for leading and managing a team of corporate event planners, overseeing delivery across multiple client and company initiatives, and supporting C-level and senior stakeholders. The Team Lead works closely with the Team Manager on a dedicated client account, providing strategic and on-the-ground insight into the client’s business. The Team Lead also maintains key client relationships and provides oversight across event planning, venue sourcing, attendee data management, roadshows, or event technology, depending on role alignment.

Your Contributions

• Collaborate with the Team Manager to understand the strategic approach to the client account, providing on-the-ground insight into the client's business and opportunities, while offering input on key challenges and driving the business with a strong understanding of the larger organisational picture
• Mentor and develop 5-12 direct reports, conducting performance development conversations and managing the process
• Oversee the team's workload, ensuring a clear understanding of capacity and pressure points through regular 1:1 meetings. Field questions and offer advice to team members to assist with creative problem-solving and knowledge sharing. Manage vacation schedules and approve monthly expenses.
• Ensure the team maintains strong, positive relationships with clients
• Collaborate with the Team Manager to ensure development opportunities, adequate business coverage, and continuity, including succession planning
• FIRST ambassador: participate and engage with FIRST initiatives and extracurricular activities where possible
• Lead and motivate the team to work efficiently, fostering positive communication and an open, inclusive environment that ensures good team morale
• Liaise with the Team Manager and P&C team on talent development and recruitment for open direct report roles, while overseeing the onboarding and offboarding processes
• Active training and development of the FIRST Team. Encourage direct reports to be knowledgeable of best practices, new suppliers, services, and venues, and to be proactive with ideas and creative solutions
• Liaise with stakeholders to refine workstreams for efficiency, meet evolving business requirements, and proactively assist with ad hoc projects, troubleshooting problems and optimising workflows, particularly during periods of change
• Refine and drive best practice; ensure team adheres to firm’s SOP and compliance requirements
• Manage up; raise and escalate potential concerns and successes to management on a regular reporting basis
• If applicable, this role may be required to support a book of work for planning, venue sourcing, attendee data management, roadshow management or event technology, depending on the role alignment within a specific client account, which includes end-to-end project management for the book of work assigned
• Work seamlessly with key internal partners and stakeholders on event deliverables and to understand and drive event objectives forward; consistently maintain excellent client relations even in challenging situations
• Travel for on-site management when necessary

What We Are Looking For

• People management experience preferred
• Advanced experience of events and conferences, including but not limited to C-level executive events, cocktail receptions, meetings and conferences 
• Experience with venue sourcing, including extensive knowledge in  contracting, negotiation and